This application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/038,940, filed Mar. 24, 2008.
The present invention relates to a floor care machine, and more particularly, to a mobile, powered machine for curing a floor coating using ultraviolet (“UV”) light. The machine of the illustrated embodiment contemplates that a liquid floor coating be applied manually, but the invention relates, as well, to apparatus which both applies the liquid floor coating and cures it in situ. As used herein, the terms “floor coating” or “coating” or “curable floor coating” and equivalents are intended to be broadly interpreted and refer to floor coatings applied in the liquid state and capable of curing to a solid state upon being irradiated by light. The light in the illustrated embodiment which effects curing is primarily in the ultraviolet region, but may include light in the near visible. However, the instant invention is not dependent on any particular coating materials. The invention relates to all materials which cure upon application of radiant energy (i.e. “photocurable” materials), whether it is in the ultraviolet region primarily, or includes both ultraviolet, near visible and visible light, as persons skilled in the art of photocurable materials will understand.
Virtually every gaseous light source today used to produce this type of radiation requires a warm up time of from a few minutes to up to fifteen minutes to reach full brilliance. Additionally, when the light source is turned off (intentionally or not) it can take up to 30 minutes for the light source to reignite, plus again the warm up-time. Therefore, a mechanical shutter needs to be placed in front of or around the light source to block the radiation from escaping when light is not desired and during warm-up and stand-by. After the light source has reached full brilliance, the shutter is opened and the device becomes useable. If the light source is turned off, it can not be re-lit until the light source cools sufficiently; hence the use of mechanical shutters.
Virtually all floor curing devices use shutters, which add size, weight, and cost to the machine. Those floor curing devices that do not use shutters suffer the effects of very slow warm up times and low energy output.